Your sanitation can be greener

‘Organic’ pest control

Many of the tenets of the National Organic Program are familiar. Fewer people know paragraph 205.271, which spells out how to perform pest management in an organic facility. First and foremost, non-chemical measures are to be taken before using any pest control chemicals. Only if non-chemical measures are ineffective should the facility move to chemicals on an approved national list.

“If non-chemical measures and the use of products consistent with the national list are not effective, then a material not found on the list may be used, provided measures are taken to prevent contact between the organic product and the material applied,” says Jay Bruesch of Plunkett’s Pest Control, a Fridley, Minn.-based partner of Copesan Services Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Automated hand washing not only ensures sanitized hands but fewer chemicals and less waste water down the drain.

“Thanks to new technologies, food processors can now implement more environmentally friendly pest management methods to eliminate pest problems effectively without compromising the organic nature of their products,” said Patrick Copps, technical service manager for Orkin Commercial Services. Some “green” pest control techniques he suggests:

• Fly lights: Ultraviolet light attracts flying pests to a non-toxic sticky board inside a confined trap unit.
• Sticky boards: These capture crawling pests when placed in areas likely to be attractive to bugs, such as inside storage areas and under equipment.
• Pheromone monitors: Pheromones are secreted chemicals pests use to communicate. Synthetic versions can lure them to a sticky trap; these traps can provide an early warning of the presence of pests in stored product areas.
• Insect growth regulators: IGRs use synthetic versions of insect hormones to prevent pests from reaching full maturity, preventing reproduction and limiting the pest population.
• Repellants: Repellants help move pests to areas where control is easier to achieve. Repellant treatments use a combination of a botanical-based material, pyrethrins and silica gel, an inorganic compound that damages insects’ exoskeletons. When pests encounter this combination, they retreat and the product can cause insects to desiccate.
• Organic cleaners: “Green” cleaners, such as Orkin’s OE-30, use naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes to break down grease and grime. Use an organic cleaner in and around drains, sinks and garbage disposals to eradicate the grease and grime build-up that serves as a breeding area for fl ies and other pests.
• Non-volatile baits: These baits use chemical formulations that do not become airborne. Formulated as gels or pastes in small bait pucks, they allow targeted and contained treatment applications.